An Inside Look
by Darc
Summary: Ranma gets a little help from and old friend, only to have new problems arise and take place of the old ones. I have revised and edited this stupid thing and added a new chapter sorta, *LIME WARNING*


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Disclaimer: The characters from Ranma ½ are not mine, they belong to Rumiko Takahashi, so please don't sue me (I'm broke). 

"RANNNNNNNMMMAAAAA! GET BACK HERE, AND EAT YOUR LUNCH!!"

"Nuh-uh Akane. I'd rather ya'd clobber me wit' that mallet a' yers." POW!

Ranma mutters something about a stupid uncute tomboy of a fiancée, and her violent actions before he hits the pavement. After an hour or two he wakes up in the middle of the Nermina park. "Well at least she didn't knock me inta that stupid canal this time… Aww dangit 's almost diner time and Kasumi's making…"

Then he notices a figure following him rather closely and leaps to a nearby roof. _ Well le's see'm follow me now… figures he'd be another martial artist. Wonder wha' me'n pops did ta this one._ After a short while Ranma decides to give up and just go back to the Tendo's and get something to eat and then see what the stranger wants.

"Com'on pops I don't have time ta play yer stupid games right now. Another shadow found me taday and I lost him just long 'nough ta get here and eat."

"Well m'boy you need the practice then to beat him.-"

"Or her! Might be nother one of those times tha' ya gave me away ta stuff yer fat panda mouth."

"Show some respect to your elders boy!" Genma launches at Ranma and finds himself in the koi pond. "Gruff!" Then saunters back into the house.

After supper was over Panda-Genma and Soun start playing another round of cheat-shogi, and the 'shadow' shows up and the gate and says, "Ranma! Get out here and face me!"

Inside the dojo. "Scuse me Akane, but it looks like my shadow's callin." Then walks out. "Right here! Ya want me ya got me!" The two martial artists bounce around for a while till both are getting really tired. _ Man he fights jus like… wait a min he is Jiro!_ "Kay Jiro wha'say we call this'n a draw, ne?"

"Sure thing Ranma. What are you doing in Nermina? Do you know it took me forever to track you down? Four years! Man life has been so dull since you left. No one to spar with that isn't afraid that I'll hurt them if they hit me. Lately I've had to take it out on practice dummys."

"Yeah well pops here got one of his genious ideas and drug me out to china shortly after we left and got both'a us cursed. Thanks a lot pops!"

"Why are you screaming at that… oooh. He took you both out to Jursenkyuo. Well what do you turn into?"

"Got any…" Splash! "I'm gonna get you fer that ya old fart!" Ranma then climbs out of the koi pond and wrings out her shirt.

Never let your guard down boy Flipwho's this?

"Oh… well I guess your curse could be worse."

"How d' ya figure?"

"On my fingers and toes. Well I mean you could turn into something small and defenseless like a rabbit. At least in this form you can still defend yourself and still have hands and feet. Unlike your pops over there who not only has to adjust to four paws and claws, but say he's in a public area and he changes. He then has to look out for the animal…"

"I get yer drift. Hey I wanna talk ta ya bout somthin and I need that favor that ya owe me."

"Alright, when and where?"

2

"Right now, but not here." Ranma motions for Jiro to follow him and they bound off into the sunset. Genma, Soun, and Akane all watch as the pair leave and share confused looks.

Ranma and Jiro enter the park and stop after a while. "Well, this looks as good as any."

"Why did you drag me out here? Your father knows I owe you a favor…"

"Yeah, but ya know how ya can do that… that… that… thingy with peoples mind's an thoughts?"

"Yes I use majick to read a person's thoughts and if need be alter them so no-one's hurt. What are you getting at? You know that I can't alter their thoughts without just cause or I'll be punished severely."

"I know, I know. I wanna know if Akane really hates me or not. I wanna know what she's thinkin. I wanna know what my enemy is thinkin. I was wonderin if ya could jus teach me how ta pick up on people's thoughts but not change them. Jus be able ta know what everybody else is thinkin, an what their gonna do. Cause tha truth is I dunno if I can take much more of this."

"Well I can 'teach' you how ta read another's thoughts, but what do you mean by 'I dunno if I can take much more of this'?"

"Umm…er… that is… Aww screw it. Jus read my mind an see fer yerself. 'S easier that way."

"Ok well sit down and I'll see what has happened"

"Huh? Why do I havta sit down? We never sat down when ya read my mind before."

"That's because I was just picking up your thoughts at the moment. Not reviewing your past. To read someone's past you have to concentrate and it will take a while. Because I must go deeper than short term and must go into long term memory." Seeing the completely lost look on Ranma he thinks of an easier way to explain. "It's like digging through an old garbage heap: You can pick up things that are fresh just by walking by, but to get into things long gone you have to stop and dig deep. Understand?"

"I think so." Both of them sit down cross-legged across from one another. Jiro takes his hands and places them on Ranma's forehead and we can see a small blue light string the two together. After some hours of this Jiro removes his hand with an amazed look.

"Jeez, I can see what you mean. And you've been doing this for over a year?! Ok I'll talk to my superiors about teaching you to pick up another's thoughts." 

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An Inside Look: Chapter 2

" "= Japanese

* *= Sound

italics =thought

[ ]=panda sign

= Chinese

\\ //= telepathy 

One month later:

"AHHHHHHHHH…"*SPLASH* A now very damp and annoyed Ranma stands in the koi pond only to hear another scream and have a body land on him once again making him more wet. "Wha…. Hey Jiro. So how'dja end up here?"

Slightly embarrassed, "Well, you know how Akane is knocking you into next week whenever you open your big mouth? Well, Kiddorie is the same, 'cept I only commented that your Akane is a lot like her, she asked how so and well I said, short-tempered, and quick to bash things…. And kinda got knocked through the gate I was opening."

Ranma chuckles at this and shakes his head slightly. "Well I'm glad I'm not the only one with a violent inazuke. Hey Jiro, I was wondering, what was the answer to ya training me."

"Well, they said I could train you but first you have to agree to the rules of learning this. Then you have to swear it and seal that you agree and will follow these rules with your blood." Ranma nods and Jiro continues, " Rule one, the only rule, Do not use your powers to cause any one intentional harm. They made an exception for you. You may scan their thoughts to subdue your opponent gently."

Ranma agrees to this, and as Jiro stabs his hand with a large knife he fails to notice his blood never hits the water or drips on the dagger for that matter. _Well I wasn't thinking of using it to fight anyone other than the old ghoul. At least now I will be able ta keep Akane and the rest of them at bay_

Just as Jiro is finished sealing the deal, Akane walks out. Akane smiles slightly and begins to look over the girl and guy in the pond. _Wonder if Ranma found a new 'friend' to 'play' with, or is this another crazed baka like Kuno, that is after his girl side, though I can see why they would chase him….AKANE NO HENTAI! STOP THIS OR YOUR GOING TO BE WHAT YOU ACCUSE HIM OF BEING! _Jiro winces slightly at both Akane's mental ranting, and her comment about chasing Ranma's other half.

Akane stops mid-rant and asks, "Are you two enjoying your lil swim or are you both going to continue to scare the koi?" They both then clamber out of the pond, and then go upstairs, out a window, then into the dojo.

"Ok Ranma, time to start your training." Jiro states as he seats himself in the lotus position. His long black hair seems to flow with him as he moves. Ranma does the same. "Now Ranma, first you must center yourself and reach out with your senses and try to feel your environment. After that, you must remain unfocused and try to bring everything into definition. You can not concentrate on one thing, you must let them all flow into focus. You once boasted that you could see a technique performed once, and be able to master it shortly after, correct?" At his nod Jiro continued, "Well then, in that case, concentrate on me and feel what I do ok?"

Again Ranma nodded, and as he closed his eyes, he reached out with his senses, he could sense the holes in the wall from him and his inazuke's 'sparring sessions.' He felt a lone sparrow fly by over head, then he began to center his attention upon his friend Jiro. He noticed that the confusing jumble and spiel he was presented with was relatively simple to do. Several hours passed as the two jus sat in the dojo, one sitting patiently watching the other in bemusement, the other doing his best to bring his environment into focus. 

Ranma was ecstatic, it took him six hours of deep meditation, but he had finally been able to sense his environment with astonishing clarity, without having to even try very hard. The funny thing was that it was like his danger sense only clearer. It gave him the impression of different object and what they felt like, but the living things gave off different feels to them, for example his friend Jiro literally radiated peace. The air in the dojo radiated all of the past battles that had taken place in it. When asked Jiro explained it was Ki residue from the battles affecting the atmosphere and adjusting it, but even he was not sure. Apparently the Earth was alive as well as was the reason that the area around him had been tweaked so permanently.

He had only stopped because again his stomach overrode his brain and screamed, "FEED ME!" With much reluctance the pair wordlessly got up and left the dojo. Jiro told him as a practice exercise to keep the feel up constantly to adjust to people around him, and when he could switch it from active to passive with barely a conscious thought that he would continue the training, and teach him to pick up surface thoughts.

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An Inside Look: Chapter 3

Italics= Thoughts

""= Chinese

\ / = Telepathy

[]=Panda sign

Ranma and Jiro walked into the dinning room, the first thing the Mystic and Telepath/Empath-in-training felt was the almost palpable tension amongst the residents of the Tendou Dojo. Ranma tensed, turned to his friend for an answer, Jiro shrugged and sat down. Clearly something bad was going to happen soon, so Ranma began a rundown of who was where with his new senses, _Ok… lessee, Akane is at the table, no poisoning attempts tonight from her. She seems awfully mad bout somthin, don't feel like getting hit by that damned mallet a'hers, so I'll be quiet fer once. Oyaji's in his nat… panda form. Hmmm, that is strange, I can't feel anything that is in the kitchen, yet can clearly sense a person in there… I'll ask Jiro 'bout it later. Nabiki's up in her room. Mr. Tendou is at the head of the table. Kasumi is probably in the kitchen. _He then shrugs, and puts away the feeling for another time. 

Ranma turns to Jiro, but before he can say anything, Xian-Pu comes out of the kitchen bearing large increments of food, and is shortly followed by Kasumi with even more food. _Ok, I guess she used a door for once in her life. _ After scanning Xian-Pu very thoroughly and tuning out everything else, Ranma finds several different emotions seeping from the Amazon. _Lessee there's a large amount of depression, despair, and hopelessness… THE HELL IS GOINING ON HERE?!_

Jiro winces at the volume of Ranma's thoughts, but shows no outward sign of being hurt, or surprised. He too gives the purple-haired female warrior the once over. Pretty soon he agrees with Ranma in the perception that something seriously wrong is going on here, and must be stopped immediately. Noticing the girl's thoughts are in Chinese, he addresses her accordingly, "Xian-Pu is it? May I speak with you in private? 

To say that this startled Xian-Pu was to say the Pacific was big. With much trepidation and unease she accepted and motioned for them to go to the dojo after she had set the table, "Ok, is the dojo, after I am finished setting the food down acceptable?"

Nodding Jiro said he would wait there while getting up to leave. Xian-Pu got done at a normal pace, neither hurrying, nor dragging ass. After entering, she voiced the concern she had and the most likely reason for her respect towards him. "You are Ranma's teacher correct?"

"For lack of a better term, yes. Now my turn, what is going on in there, and why are you so depressed?"

Xian-Pu was about to reply when she began to wonder why she would tell this outsider such personal things, but she shrugged it off and explained that her great-grandmother had received word they were to return to China in two weeks regardless. Then she explained how if she returned without Ranma as her husband she would be killed.

Jiro gave this some thought, and after seeing just how badly in love Xian-Pu was with Ranma, he decided to try and persuade his old friend to help out Xian-Pu. Just before turning to leave, he spoke with the young amazon, "Do not fret little one, you will not die. I will do my best to get Ranma to help you in this. Deal?"

After hearing this, the girl's face lit up like a christmass tree decorated with halogen lights. "You would do that? But I don't even know you, why would you do this?" Having lived with Ke-Lon for the majority of her life had taught her that hardly anything was given with out a price.

Jiro took a glance around to make sure no one other than her would hear this, not sensing any life forms with in listening distance. He turned his attention back to Xian-Pu. "Lissen up, I am not gonna ask for anything in return, because it is my duty to help the innocents when they can not help themselves. I am to either tutor them or get them help form their peers. Understood?" Seeing the girl nod, he turned and left through the door, and Xian-Pu left to go back to the Nekohaten.

A little while later he found Ranma, and as they walked around he started to try and solve the problem. "Ranma, my friend, would you be willing to do me a favor?"

_Uh-oh, I know that tone, something is up again. Wonder what kinda trouble I'll get into this time._ "Depends… What does this favor involve?" He never noticed that they passed the dojo and continued to aimlessly wander throughout Nerima.

"Well, you see Xian-Pu is kinda in trouble. The favor includes saving her life. I would do it but I can't. You're the only one that can fix this mess." By now they were in the park and were somewhere around three blocks from the Nekohaten.

Ranma began a slow-burn, "What do you mean she's in trouble, and why is her life in danger? What did I do this time…" 

His query continued for several minutes, and when he finally finished, Jiro decided to drop the bomb, by now they were only a block and a half from the café, "Well she is to go back to China in two weeks regardless, if she does not return with you. Her life will be ended, due to the fact she has lost all of her honor in the eyes of the village elders."

"Oh great, I gotta put on a show for the ol' crones huh?"

"More than that, you must marry her. Now if I remember right, amazon law allows you three wives at most, due to their large female-male ratio. This would allow you to honor all of your engagements and keep every one happy, but there is a catch." _Come on only a half of block left then I might be able to pull this off._

Ranma did not think this could get any worse. First off because of his stupidity he could cause his friend to die. Second, in order to save her life, he's **gotta** marry her. Third, he hasn't figured out **whom** he **wants** to marry in the first place! _Oh well what's life if there ain't a challenge?_ "Ok Jiro, les hear this catch, no wait lemme guess I gotta be married to her **before** the two weeks are up right?"

"Sort of. That is part of it, but the bigger thing is that after you marry her, and leave for china, first my training of you will no longer be able to continue, since I am not allowed to teach this to amazons. Second, after you leave for china you more than likely won't be able to come back. And lastly, when you leave, you may have no more wives than you already have. In other words you will undergo massive weddings in a short amount of time. Are you willing to do this now?" Now they had stopped out in front of the Nekohaten and were well within earshot of Xian-Pu.

"Well, it is kinda sudden, but what tha hell. Sure, if it means that I will save her life, then yes I will marry her and return to China with….urk!" A certain young Chinese amazon with purple hair, attaching herself to his side rather suddenly, snuggling her head into the crook of his shoulder and neck, and muttering her love for him suddenly interrupted Ranma. _Hey this is kinda nice…. Hmmm I could get used to this. Wonder if I should marry, nah I'll jus renounce my family name. That should do it._ After tentatively hugging her back, witch only seem to make her tighten her grip, he began to try and get her off before Mu-Tsu saw and went ballistic. "Hey, ya wanna let go, fore we get attacked? I am kinda tryin ta fix things here…" Seeing as how she only seemed to snuggle closer with each attempt ta get her off of him. Ranma sighed and dejectedly gave up, only to hear Mu-Tsu scream, "Soatome! DIE!" 

As Mu-Tsu charged, Ranma was already moving, with Xian-Pu still attached to him he dodged the rather interesting object being thrown at him which included chains, daggers, potty-trainers, and even the kitchen sink (couldn't help it ^_^u). 

Xian-Pu was having the time of her life, first Ranma says he'll marry her an go back to China with them, then he hugs her back! And then he carries her around, granted it was his subconscious telling him to protect her and keep her from harm, she was not going to complain! Most Chinese amazon females would have found this to be an insult on their skill, but she had spent the last several months trying to get him to show affection towards her and Xian-Pu was taking anything she could get. Only one thought stood out amongst her swirl of emotions in her mind, _Feels soooooo good…_

Ranma slowly circled Mu-Tsu and dove inside the myopic warrior's defenses which were poor to start out with after you got around the projectiles. Ke-Lon watched on in interest. So far son-in-law has neither put her great granddaughter down, back away, nor put his usual protests at her closeness. 

Ranma began to think, _Ok hmmm, interesting exercise, have another human strapped or hang on you whilst evading an enemy hell-bent on killing you, an here I thought Oyaji had already put me though every type of work-out possible… *shrug* Oh well. Lessee, time to try out my new senses, hmmm well at least Shampoo is happy, wonder why… WOW. Ok Mousse is really pissed at me. Hmm oh, well lemme try an see if I can pick up surface thoughts yet, hmmm Shampoo is closest. Ok it appears she thinks in Chinese… Duh! Ranma no baka, of course she does she **is** from **China** after all. _

After failing to translate Xian-Pu's thoughts Ranma then punches Mu-Tsu into dreamland, and gets an idea that might get Xian-Pu to stop doing her impression of a barnacle. He tilts her head up slightly and kisses her on the forehead and says, "As much as I enjoy this, I do kinda need ya ta let go a me k?"

Xian-Pu almost goes into shock, after his words registered she faltered slightly and lets go of Ranma. Ke-Lon begins to wonder what Ranma is up to and Jiro just smiles while sharing a thought with Ranma, _It worked, I'll be damned, it worked._

Ranma walked up to Ke-Lon and after bowing, "So Old Ghoul did you enjoy the show?" If it were not for her years of training and discipline she would have fallen off her stick right then and there. "Seriously, I have made my decision, and no I will not marry her this instant, let me set my affairs in order, **alone**! Before one or both of you go into this fight like a couple doin an impression of Tarou when he sees tha lech, I need both you an Shampoo to do two things. The first one is to swear on yer ancestors that you will only step in and help me deal with the other engagements, when you ask or I ask for your help." Ranma then began to wait for their response, he did not have to wait long for Xian-Pu, though she was not speaking, poor thing her mind was getting one too many shocks today. Xian-Pu was shaking her head like a head-banger on speed in the mosh-pit at an Ozzy Osborne concert. Ke-Lon was another matter entirely.

Ke-Lon was curious to say the least. Ranma was actually thinking and planning. Second, he was asking her to do something that went against her morals: Obey a outsider-male, no questions asked. But her love for her family quickly squashed that argument. If she did this not only would it save her great-granddaughter's life, but it would also make Xian-Pu very happy. _Why the hell not?_ "Ok son-in-law. I swear to do as you say pertaining to the matters of your other fiancées."

That done Ranma began to continue after pausing when Xian-Pu plastered herself to his side. "Secondly, I want you two to take care of Mu-Tsu an tha rest of them, like Ryouga, an Kuno, an Nabiki. But do **not** kill anyone. Ok?"

Ke-Lon and Xian-Pu agreed to this as well, Ke-Lon not as wary though of this one as he was only requesting a little bit of breathing room to settle this matter. Ke-Lon went over to Mu-Tsu and hit several pressure points ensuring he would not wake for another 18 hours and when he did, he would then be bed-ridden due to a nasty headache that would make even Hibiki Ryouga stay in bed. 

Xian-Pu decided to press her good fortune and see if this deal could get any sweeter, while also deciding to drop the air-head act and speak to the best of her abilities, "Ranma, could you come upstairs and discuss something with me? I have something I wish to ask of you in private." Meanwhile Jiro had slipped off into Kami-sama only knows where.

Ranma started to get suspicious, _Hmmm she is seemin to radiate a scent of mischief. Hmmm nothing harmful… Fugit._ "Ok, Shampoo, I will lissen ta what ya havta say." After feeling her seem to project a feelin of joy that even made the old ghoul smile. He followed her inside the Nekohaten and up the stairs to her room. He sound proofed Xian-Pu's room but lacing the walls, floor, and ceiling with his ki, this also had the added effect of making the room impervious to anyone weaker than him, and considering he. After closing her door and lacing that as well as the window and air vent, he began, "OK. A few things, first what happens is not to leave this room as I have a feeling that it could cause problems, and second, please don't plaster yourself to me until after we are wed ok? I need as few problems now as possible and the reactions that would cause are… well you get the idea right?"

At first she was disappointed, but after thinking about it, she had to agree in the logic behind it. "Ok, I promise not to glomp onto you till marriage. Come here and sit down while I go get something I want to show you." Motioning for Ranma to take her place on the bed. She got up and entered her closet. Ranma cautiously sat down, while she closed the closet door behind her, after all It would not do to spoil the surprise. 

Xian-Pu started to call out from the closet, and he was secretly glad he only proofed one door in the room, "Ranma, I ask you a favor. In order for one favor that can pertain to anything as long as it did not leave this room, what would I have to do in return?"

"Hmmm, lemme think fer a sec k?"

"K."

"…Teach me Chinese and have Cologne find a spell that would perfect it to fluent levels, and treat me as your equal when we get back to tribe and not some servant or pet."

To Xian-Pu this was a tall order given her background, but considering what she was going to get out of it, in her mind it was well worth it, "Ok, deal." The door opened and she stepped out wearing a long flowing robe and walked up to the bed and stood at the foot of the bed, arms crossed. "I call in my favor. I want you to make love to me till I tell you to stop."

"Ok. I see no problem as it will not leave this room period, by mouth or ears or behavior, no hints period ok?"

"Deal." With that she untied the sash and let the silk robe drop from her shoulders leaving her in front of her love in all her glory. As he drank in the sight of her naked in front of him, and began to do as asked and sometimes told, Ranma became really glad he had soundproofed the room, as her screams were long, loud and very frequent. At one point he began to wonder if she was loud enough to have her voice permeate the barriers of ki. (A.N. depending on feed back I will make a lemon side story containing what all went on in this scene, but due to rating I do not want to go over board with detail.-_~)

After waking up somewhat sore and exhausted. He got up leaving a note for Xian-Pu that she should rest after an ordeal like that and he would be back in the after-noon, little did he know she would not wake up till the after-noon due to he sent her into such bliss and exhaustion. He was about to leave when he saw the pout on her face when she subconsciously realized that Ranma was no longer in the bed with her. He then proceeded down stair where he saw Ke-Lon well into the breakfast rush, and Mu-Tsu severing tables under her ever vigilant glare. He walked up to Ke-Lon. "Hey Cologne do you know where I could get a large stuffed rabbit?"

Absent-mindedly throwing bowls of food at Mu-Tsu, she began to think, then she reached into her robes and pulled out some money, three stores to the right, this side of the street."

Nodding his thanks, he left. Mu-Tsu tried to follow him, but was pelted with a very hard object thrown at high speeds, "OWWW!" It was followed by a couple of bowls of ramen.

Ramna entered the toyshop and immediately found what he was looking for. It was a large white and black, stuffed rabbit. The fur was soft and the stuffing was super soft as well, the eyes were colored patches so as not to have anything hard and uncomfortable. He went to the front counter and paid for the purchase, ignoring the grungy dress and demeanor of the clerk, 

After entering the café and heading upstairs, he laced the bunny with his ki, so as to trick Xian-Pu into thinking it was him while she slept. He opened the door to her room and slipped the animal into her arms. Her face relaxed immediately and the smile on it was one that made his heart melt. Ranma subconsciously smiled back and left the room after covering her up.

Heading down stairs, he missed the glare of death being given to him by Mu-Tsu. Determined to put an end to his fiancée problems, Ranma set out for the Tendou Dojo.

Authors rants: I know it isn't an Akane & Ranma fic but I came across something and to quote that fanfic author, though I forgot who it was I believe is was Black Dragon. Well his name had something along the lines of a dark color and Dragon in it, so thas bout as close as I can remember. "There are so many Akane and Ranma fics out there that it purposes no imagination on the authors part." So there! Oh and by the way, **I NEED FEED BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

E-mail me at darcblade@earthlink.net Later an thanks for readin it. 


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